Hand-held dispenser with dual valve



5, 1970 w. R. ODONNELL 3,525,997

HAND-HELD DISPENSER WITH DUAL VALVE.

Filed Dec. 22, 1967 I NVENTOR.

WilLLam R). OD ann e11.

ACLEMT United States Patent O 3,525,997 HAND-HELD DISPENSER WITH DUAL VALVE William R. ODonnell, Trumbull, Conn., assignor to Valve Corporation of America, Bridgeport, 'Conn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 692,757 Int. Cl. K65d 23/14 U.S. Cl. 222-95 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dispenser with dual valve and multiple compartments, comprising a tubular valve housing having two annular seats, and a valve stem longitudinally movable in the housing and having valve portions for simultaneously closing and opening the seats. The housing has a side passage, and is at one end carried in the neck of a pressurized container in which there is also a flexible bag connected to the other housing end. Different liquids in the container and bag are mixed and discharged when the valve stem is shifted to open the valve seats.

RELATED PRIOR ART U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,217,936, 3,272,389, 3,325,056, and 3,326,416.

BACKGROUND This invention relates to small, hand-held pressurized dispensers such as are used for shaving cream and the like. The invention particularly involves a dispenser of the kind indicated, wherein several different liquids are stored and kept separate, these becoming mixed only at the valve means, during the dispensing action.

A prior dispenser of shaving lather, which effects a mixing of two separate liquids at the valve means to obtain a heating of the lather, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,416. One liquid suitable for such use is hydrogen peroxide; the other liquid can contain sodium hypophosphite. The reaction of these results in an exothermic nonexplosive decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide, supplying heat to lathering ingredients whereby the discharge comprises a heated, foam-forming mixture or lather. Potassium sulfite may be utilized,- to react with the hydrogen peroxide, instead of the sodium hyophosphite.

Other mixing valve arrangements are shown in Pats. 3,217,936; 3,272,389; and 3,325,056. While the prior devices were operative in most circumstances and enjoyed various degrees of success, the valves and dispensers as shown were either complicated and costly, difiicult to manufacture, not fully reliable when in extended use, or else lacked convenience of operation. The valve arrangements had, as a rule, a multiplicity of parts which necessitated considerable tooling, inventories, and assembly labor. Where the movements were complicated, or depended on critical values of resilience there ensued unreliability of operation, malfunctioning, etc. If critical dimensions were involved, there was in addition the matter of added cost.

SUMMARY The above disadvantages and drawbacks of prior, mixing-type dispensers are obviated by the present invention, one object being to provide a novel and improved multiple-chamber dispenser and mixing valve therefor which is extremely simple and uncomplicated, having very few components characterized by simple, time-proved movements whereby there is achieved an especially low cost, and an improved and reliable performance.

This is accomplished by the provision of a molded plastic, tubular valve housing having internal axiallyspaced annular valve seats, one end portion of the houslice ing being secured in the mounting cup or closure of the pressurized container and the other end portion carrying, communicating with, and being sealed to the neck of a flexible bag disposed in the container. One of the annular valve seats constitutes part of a slide valve mechanism. A longitudinally movable valve stem in the housing has a tubular projecting end portion through which the discharge passes, and has a valve shoulder at the base of the tubular portion, said shoulder being engageable with the other of the valve seats. Another portion of the stem slidingly engages the said one valve seat to close oil the same. Both seats are open when the valve stem is depressed, and for such condition flow occurs from the flexible bag axially through said other valve seat, and from the container area which is exterior to the bag, through a side wall passage of the valve housing into the latter to mix with the first-mentioned flow. The mixture passes out of the housing through said one valve seat and through the tubular end portion of the stem. The stem shoulder is an effective seal when the stem is not depressed. The valving member, comprising poppet and slide valve portions, is a single, simple molded piece. Besides such piece there is only the valve housing, a simple spring, and a washer-like valve seat member making up the valve assembly.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved mixing valve and dispenser as above set forth, wherein the likelihood of undesired leakage or mixing of the plurality of liquids is greatly minimized if not completely eliminated, and wherein only one of the valve devices, namely the poppet portion of the valve stem, is called on to withstand relatively high uni-directional pressures as effected in the container by the pressurized substance.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view of the simplified mixing valve and multiple-compartment dispenser as provided by the invention. The valve device is shown in the closed or non-dispensing condition.

FIG. 2 is an axial sectional view like that of FIG. 1 but showing the dispenser inverted, with the valve in discharging position.

As shown, the hand-held dispenser and mixing valve of the invention comprises a relatively rigid, metal outer container or can 10 of a usual type, having a top shoulder 12 and neck portion 14, the latter being spanned by a usual type of metal mounting cup 16. The cup 16 has a raised central portion 18 of inverted cup-like configuration, provided with a central opening 20 in its transverse or top wall, the said opening having an upwardly drifted edge 22 and being of a size to slidably receive a vertical valve stem designated generally by the numeral 24.

Within the container 10 and carried by the raised portion 18 of the mounting cup 16 thereof is a tubular molded plastic valve housing 26 having a stepped central bore 28, and having at its upper end an annular exterior mounting flange 30 which is snugly received in the portion 18 of the mounting cup, and is retained therein by inwardly ofiset portions 32 of the cup.

Clamped between the top wall 34 of the cup portion 18 and the upper end of the valve housing 26 is a resilient diaphragm or valve washer 36, having a central opening through which the valve stem 24 extends.

The upper portion of the valve stem 24 carries a usual type of depress button 38 having a discharge nozzle 40, said button being guided in a stationary body42 attached to the upper portion of the container 10.

In accordance with the invention, the valve stem 24 and housing 26 with the valve washer or seat 36 are so constituted as to comprise a dual mixing valve including a positive shut-off poppet whereby, in conjunction with a flexible and collapsible bag or compartment provided in the container 10, there is effected in the housing a separation or else a mixing of two liquids, one from the container contents and the other from the enclosed compartment or bag.

Accordingly, there is provided a flexible and collapsible compartment or bag 44 having a neck portion 46 which is secured around the lower portion of the valve housing 26 so that the bore of the latter communicates with the interior of the bag 44. Any suitable means may be employed to secure the bag 44 to the valve housing 26 in tight sealing relation therewith, as will be understood.

I have discovered that, contrary to what might be expected, the contents within the containers 44 and can be effectively kept separated during non-use of the dispenser by means of a simple slide-type valve, whereby the dual-valve requirements of a dual-liquid dispenser of the kind illustrated herein can be filled by use of a simple, one-piece molded valve stem like the stem 24, thereby simplifying greatly the valving structures and reducing considerably the cost of the same. The combined poppet and slide-type valve as thus provided by the invention is constituted in the following manner:

Cooperable with the valve washer 36 is an annular exterior shoulder or poppet portion 48 provided intermediate the ends of the valve stem 24, said stem having an upper portion 50 of tubular configuration located above the shoulder 48, and having a side passage 52 in the wall of the portion 50, immediately adjacent the valve shoulder. A valve return spring 54 engages the shoulder 48 and also an interior annular shoulder 56 in the valve housing, thereby to bias the valve stem 24 upward as viewed in FIG. 1, maintaining the shoulder 48 in engagement with the valve washer 36 whereby the valve is closed, preventing egress of the contents of the container 10 and bag 44.

Adjoining the shoulder 56 in the valve housing 26 is an annular valve seat or slide-valve portion in the form of an integral bead 58, which is engageable with a lower, cylindrical slide valve or portion 60 of the valve stem 24, thereby to close off the bore of the valve housing at said point and prevent passage of liquid upward from the flexible bag 44.

The valve stem 24 has a side depression 62 located above the cylindrical slide valve portion 60 as seen in FIG. 1, which is adapted to be disposed within the annular valve seat or bead 58 when the valve stem is depressed or forced inward as illustrated in FIG. 2. For such position, the side passage 52 of the tubular portion 50 of the valve stem 24 will be disposed within the valve housing 26, and accordingly a passage is thus provided whereby the contents of the flexible bag 44 can be discharged upward through the housing 26, past the lower portion of the valve stem 24, inwardly through the side passage 52 thereof and up through the tubular upper portion 50 of the stem, to be discharged from the nozzle portion 40 of the depress button 38.

The valve housing 26 also has a side passage 62 by which communication is established between the interior of the container 10 and the interior of the valve housing 26. Accordingly, when the valve stem 24 is depressed as illustrated in FIG. 2, the contents of the container 10 may also be discharged, such contents flowing inward through the side passage 62 into the interior of the valve housing 26 and (at such location) mixing with the liquid which is flowing upward from the flexible bag 44.

The mixture of these liquids will then pass through the side passage 52 of the valve stem, and upward through the tubular portion 50 to be discharged from the nozzle 40 of the depress button 38 as a mixture.

Where the dispensing device is intended to dispense a warm lather of foam, the flexible bag 44 may contain hydrogen peroxide. A lathering mixture may be provided in the container 10, made up of various ingredients. Such lathering mixture, in addition to soaping, foaming and softening agents, may contain as an example sodium hypophosphite; or instead it may contain potassium sulfite. Such substances, when mixing with the hydrogen peroxide flowing upward from the flexible bag 44, causes a chemical reaction which results in an exothermic non-explosive decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide whereby heat is produced and supplied to the mixture so that the discharge from the nozzle 40 of the depress button 38 is in the form of a heated foam or lather.

It will be understood that the contents of the container 10 may be pressurized by the addition of any suitable non-reactive, pressurizing agent, as for example a 40/60 mixture of dichlorofluoromethane and symmetrical dichlorotetrafluoroethane. Other propellant substances may be used, as well, their use being well known in the art.

Accordingly, the contents of the container 10 will effect a pressurizing of the same, and such pressure will be transmitted to the flexible bag 44, causing a collapsing action of the same and effecting an internal pressure to which the hydrogen peroxide in the bag is subjected. In consequence, when the valve stem 24 is depressed as illustrated in FIG. 2, the pressurized liquids in the container 10 and bag 44 will result in the contents thereof being discharged through the valve housing 26, upper valve stem portion 50 and discharge nozzle 40.

It will be understood that for the non-discharging position of FIG. 1, the pressure within the container 10 will at all times be transmitted to the contents of the flexible bag 44, tending to discharge the contents of the same upward through the valve housing 26. Such pressure will be manifested at the underside of the annular valve seat 58, considering FIG. 1. However, a corresponding and opposite pressure will be manifested within the valve housing 26 in a downward direction against the valve seat 58, due to the communication which exists between the interior of the housing and the interior of the container 10.

Accordingly, the only valve device which is called upon to withstand the total pressure existing in the dispenser comprises the valve shoulder or poppet portion 48 of the valve stem, cooperating with the valve disk or washer 36. Due to the pressure equalization at the seat 58 I have found that, contrary to what might be expected, the simple slide-type valve comprising the stem portion 60 is wholly effective in keeping the two liquids of the dispenser completely separated for all practical purposes. Such arrangement is not only especially simple, but has been proved to be particularly effective and leakproof over a period of years.

The neck portion 46 of the collapsible bag 44 is seen to have a thick section, said neck portion being adjacent the internal shoulder 58 of the valve housing and encircling the lower housing portion 28 whereby it reinforces the latter and minimizes the likelihood of the portion 28 and shoulder 58- becoming enlarged or increasing in diameter.

Thus, the neck portion 46 of the bag 44 tends to minimize leakage past the stem portion 60 of the valve.

It will now be seen from the foregoing that I have provided an especially simple yet effective dual or mixing valve arrangement in conjunction with a dispenser having multiple compartments containing liquids which are kept separate from each other and which mix within the valve housing 26 upon the occasion of the valve stem 24 being held in the depressed position.

Relatively few parts are involved in the valving device, comprising essentially the molded housing 26, molded valve stem 24, valve return spring 54 and valve washer or disk 36. Inasmuch as thevalve washer 36 is rigidly aflixed to the upper end of thevalve housing 26 it is considered as being a part of such valve housing, and in such connection the raised portion 18 of the mounting cup 16 may be considered as not only a supporting device for the valve housing, but also as a clamping device which permanently secures the valve disk 36 against the end of the valve housing.

The valving arrangement which is shown involves a simple straight-line movement of the valve stem, said stem being fully guided against tilting, jamming, etc. whereby especially reliable operation is had. Normally, no leakage or seepage occurs past the valve seat 58 by virtue of the equal and opposite pressures existing above and below said seat. Therefore, the valve comprising the seat 58 and cylindrical portion 60 of the stern need not be especially tight or leakproof, but instead can utilize a sliding fit involving moderate pressures or forces.

The overall organization of dispenser and mixing valve device employs a minimum number of parts, said parts being economically producible and readily assembled, as will be understood.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claim, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. A hand-held mixing-type dispenser comprising a dual valve construction, said construction comprising, in combination:

(a) a tubular valve housing having a pair of axially spaced apart annular valve portions concentric with the valve housing and through which liquid passes in flowing through the housing, said housing further having a passage through its side wall intermediate said valve portions,

(b) a valve stem axially slidable in the valve housing and passing through both valve portions, said stem having a tubular portion projecting from one end of the housing and through one of said annular valve portions, and having a first valve means comprising an annular poppet valve engaged with said one valve portion to close the same,

(c) said tubular portion of the valve stem having a side passage adjacent the poppet valve of the stem, adapted to be disposed inside the housing when the stem is depressed, thereby to conduct liquid from the interior of the housing into the tubular stem portion,

(d) second valve means on the valve stem, comprising a slide valve portion slidable along the other of the annular valve portions, for blocking the flow of liquid through said other portion when the poppet valve of the stem closes said one annular valve portion,

(e) said second valve means enabling liquid to pass into the valve housing through said second annular valve portion when the side passage of the valve stem becomes disposed inside the valve housing as the stem is depressed,

(f) asid valve stem having a side depression adjacent said second valve portion, which is disposed within the said valve portion when the valve stem is in its depressed position,

-(g) said second annular valve portion comprises an internal shoulder in the valve housing,

(h) a flexible collapsible bag having a discharge, neck portion secured around the valve housing to discharge its contents at said second annular valve portion, and

(i) a rigid pressure-resistant container enclosing said bag and valve housing, said container having a neck portion secured to the valve housing at a location near the said one annular valve portion,

(j) said side passage of the valve housing being closely adjacent said neck portion of the container,

(k) the neck portion of the collapsible bag encircling the valve housing at a location adjacent said internal shoulder, thereby to reinforce the lower portion of the valve housing and reduce the likelihood that said lower housing portion and shoulder will enlarge in diameter and circumference.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,033,473 5/1962 Kitabayashi 222-40218 X 3,241,722 3/1966 Nissen 222l36 3,341,082 9/1967 Meshberg 222402.18 X

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner F. R. HANDREN, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 222-136 

